Book excerpt: This comprehensive report explores network management in an internet protocol (IP) world, open-system OSS implementation and integration, evolving network architectures, and key OSS business drivers from the perspectives of a wide variety of leading industry professionals. It focuses on the innovations that are shaping the future of network management in light of the industry's transition to packet-based and wireless networks, broadband services, and converged voice-data architectures and is intended to provide unique and informed insights into the challenges involving OSSs today and the solutions and strategies that are being developed to combat those challenges.